ANALYSIS OF CHEMICAL PLANT

HEAT EXCHANGER EXPLOSION

ON JUNE 13, 2013 A FIRE EXPLOSION OCCURRED, WHICH FATALITY

INJURED TWO WORKERS AT THE WILLIAM OLEFINS, INC., PLANT LOCATED IN
GEISMAR LOUISIANA. TWO WORKERS DIED AND 114 INJURED.

CASE INVESTIGATION
The event was investigated by the CSB (Chemical safety board),

and their report pieced together the event. At the Williams

Geismar Olefin Plant, propylene was extracted from a stream of

hydrocarbon by heating the mixture in one of two boilers,

followed by fractional distillation. The reboilers were of a shell

and tube design, with the hydrocarbon stream in the shell side,

and hot water in the tubes.

REBOILER'S DESIGN
Originally the reboilers are designed to be used concurrently, a

modification was performed in 2001 to allow each reboiler to be

used independently from the other, allowing a fouled reboiler to be

cleaned without shutting the unit down. Valves were installed to

isolate each reboiler from the other, and they had the effect of

preventing the isolated reboiler from accessing the pressure relief

valve at the top of the propylene distillation column.

REBOILER B FAILURE
Reboiler B, that ultimately failed, had been purged with nitrogen and

isolated from process with a single closed block valve after

maintenance activity in February 2012. Some amount of liquid propane

was determined to have entered Reboiler B despite this closed block

valve.

On June 13, 2013, Reboiler A that was in operation was believed to be

fouled, and the operations supervisor intended to start the process

(engaging operations and maintenance personnel) to switch to Reboiler B.

According to process logs, hot water started flowing into Reboiler B at 8:33

am, and the reboiler exploded 3 minutes later after the hydrocarbon

process fluid flashed to vapor, ruptured the shell of the heat exchanger,

and ignited.

PEOPLE AFECTED
The explosion killed an operator at the scene, and the operations

supervisor died from burns the next day. 167 other people on-site

were injured as well. 30,000 lb. of hydrocarbons was released, and

the fire lasted for 3.5 hours.

Leon Rey Arath 1PV31